Courtney McGrailThe Vatican has named both Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin as the Irish Church’s representatives to October’s global meeting of Catholic bishops. The Vatican also named Archbishop-designate Kieran O’Reilly of Cashel and Emly as substitute. The Catholic Communications Office said that he “will only travel and participate in the…
Month: February 2015
Living a vocation of unity
Celebrating World Day for Consecrated Life
Derry priest hospitalised after fall from roof
Mags GarganA Derry priest spent a night in hospital after he fell off a roof at his parochial house while trying to make repairs. Fr Paddy O’Kane, who serves in the Holy Family parish in Derry’s Ballymagroarty, was repairing a hole in a flat roof beside his parochial house at the weekend when he slipped and…
Irish priest guarding George Clooney’s ancestor file
Staff Reporter A Kilkenny priest is keeping a document that connects actor George Clooney to Ireland under lock and key until the film star comes to visit this summer. Fr Nicholas Flavin confirmed to The Irish Catholic this week that he was in possession of the baptismal record of the Oscar winner’s great-great-grandfather, Nicholas Clooney, who…
Dad’s Diary
It is a strange thing to realise that you have become a sort of slave – albeit a fairly happy one, at least when you are tucking your peacefully slumbering little masters in at night. Perhaps the term, “indentured servant” is more accurate, because there is the prospect of eventual freedom, allegedly. With each new…
Religious congregations vital to faith renewal – primate
Archbishop Eamon Martin said renewal of faith in Ireland will be “nourished” by religious congregations
Lay missionaries plan new union
Lay faith-based missionary groups are coming together to form a new representative body, to pool resources and lobby for the needs of lay missionaries at home and abroad. Lay Mission Union Ireland (LMUI) is still in the planning stages, but the origins of the new body dates back to a meeting in 2013, when lay…
Surprise at decision not to ‘regularise’ Kilfenora status
Cathal BarryThe Dean of Kilfenora has expressed his surprise that Pope Francis has not moved to regularise its “anomalous” status as part of the diocese of Galway. Fr Conor Cunningham’s comments follow an announcement by the Vatican that the Pope has “ordered the formal union” of the metropolitan see of Cashel with the ancient diocese of…
Right to challenge North’s abortion ban is granted
Staff Reporter The NI Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) has won High Court permission to challenge the law in the North to allow abortion in cases of rape, incest or “serious malformation” of a foetus. A judge in Belfast granted leave on Monday to seek a judicial review of the organisation’s claims that the North’s current…
Religious orders hand over land worth €42m in redress
School buildings, convents, vestries, playing fields and associated lands across Ireland were handed over